


she waits for me to reach her

by Sarcasticles



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, no those things are not mutually exclusive, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27234136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcasticles/pseuds/Sarcasticles
Summary: Zoro returns to Shimontsuki Village, and finds Kuina waiting
Relationships: Kuina & Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	she waits for me to reach her

It had been ten years since he’d been back. The village was unchanged and yet unfamiliar, the same houses surrounding the same rice fields, but with different faces roaming in the midday sun. Zoro recognized the grocer on the town square, squinted a little at the new bar at the corner, and was forced to pause as he recognized the grocer once more. 

Seems in the decade since he’d left no one had bothered to update the damn street signs.

A few stopped to stare as he passed. A part of him wondered how many recognized him as the little boy raising hell with a pair of well-used bamboo training swords and how many simply knew him as the Right Hand of the King. After a moment’s contemplation, he decided he didn’t care. He’d set out all those years ago determined for the world to know his name, and one way or another these people did. That was all that mattered.

Eventually his feet found a familiar winding path outside the village, away from the fields and the people who worked them. Cobblestone gave way to dusty earth, the sounds of the sea replacing the idle chatter of a sleepy village. Slowly a building emerged in the distance, the smell of sweat and blood and hard work emanating from it even when no students were present. A simple crest hung over the doorway: Twin swords crossed over a blue field, the sign of Shimotsuki dojo. 

“Took you long enough.”

Zoro’s gaze slid to the figure sitting under the dojo crest, a grin tugging at his lips. “It’s not my fault you live out in the middle of nowhere.”

“Tell me, how many people had to give you directions to your own house?”

“My home is the sea.”

The woman didn’t have an answer for that. She took a puff of a long-stemmed pipe before letting out a long breath of blue-grey smoke. Even lounging in the doorway of the dojo she made a striking figure, with an irreverent grace that reminded Zoro of a contented cat. She was only a few inches shorter than himself, her lithe, compact frame hidden beneath a loose haori jacket over a simple shirt and pants. She’d cut her hair again since they’d seen each other last, reverting to the short bob she had had as a child after experimenting with growing it out long.

“I suppose by now it is,” she said finally, a note of wistfulness in her voice. She rose to her feet, and in one fluid motion tossed the contents of her pipe into the dirt walkway. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, highlighting a freshly-healed scar that ran across her cheekbone. Zoro raised an eyebrow in silent question. 

“Four Eyes got in a lucky hit,” she said dismissively. 

“Was a time you wouldn’t let Vice Admiral Tashigi touch you at all,” Zoro noted. 

“Yeah, well, after this long it’s about damn time she put up a good fight. Might not even have to be embarrassed when people confuse us.” She rested a hand on the white sword she wore at her hip. A spark of her childhood insolence danced in her eyes. “But that’s not why you’re here, is it, Zoro?”

“No. No, it’s not.” With a whisper of steel Zoro drew Wado Ichimonji, clenching the handle between his teeth. “Kuina, I challenge you for the title of World’s Greatest Swordsman.”

“You know what they say, ten thousandth time’s the charm.” 

The pressure of her Haki pressed against Zoro as he drew his second and third blades. Normally Kuina was much better at hiding her Presence than he was, but something always changed once she held her sword in her hands, like a tiger that had extended its claws. Drawing on the molten desire of his inner will, Zoro matched her Haki with his. His blades, made permanently black after his Wano training, clamored for blood. For _victory._

_This battle won’t be like the last. This time, I’m going to win._

* * *

The great rivalries of history took on a life of their own. Whitebeard and Roger. Mihawk and Shanks. Luffy and Teach. Men and women who were fortunate (or, perhaps not) enough to witness their battles told stories that quickly grew into legend. Clashes that split the sky, earth that rumbled with each crushing blow. Destruction that caused rivers to run backward and the sun to darken. 

The best of them held a grain of truth, and one day history would tell of the battle at Shimotsuki Village with the same reverence they did the Clash of God Valley. It was impossible to get close enough to see the combatants, but when it was over and the dust was settled the devastation spoke for itself. 

Laying atop of the pile of splinters that used to be her dojo, Kuina blinked up at the noonday sun. Home many days had they fought? Three? Four? Seven? She’d lost count somewhere along the way. “You owe me a new house,” she rasped. 

Zoro managed to laugh, though it made his ribs hurt and his jaw ache. How was it that fights with her always made his teeth feel like they were going to be ripped from his head? “Send me a bill.”

“Some of us aren’t fabulously wealthy pirates, you know,” Kuina said, closing her eyes contentedly. Blood dripped from a dozen wounds, pooling underneath her in a sea of red. 

“If you met Nami, you’d know that’s not true.” Somehow Zoro managed to turn his head to look at her properly. His vision was hazy, and his bones felt like they’d been pounded to dust, but he didn’t care. “Call it a draw?”

“Yeah.”

“Next time I’m going to win.”

“Wake up, Mosshead. That’s never going to happen.”

Surprise made Zoro jerk upright. She never called him…”What did you just say?”

“I said wake up, you shitty mosshead! You’re clogging up my space!”

And immediately the image of Shimotsuki Village shattered

even as the roar of the sea returned 

and suddenly, Zoro was home

He sat up, managing to avoid the worst of Curlybrow’s shoe even as his scrambled mind tried to reorientate himself back to his surroundings. Wado remained tucked protectively in the crook of his arm, and for a moment Zoro could just stare. He should have known. There was no way they ever could have fought each other using the same blade. He would have to be more disciplined, even in sleep. He wouldn’t be caught off-guard like that again. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind Zoro heard the idiot love cook continue to bark insults, but he ignored them as he clambered to his feet, securing his sword back at his hip. Looking down at it, he could help but smile, a pang of loneliness making his calloused heart ache.

Even in dreams he couldn’t beat her. 

And pushing aside an irate Sanji, he went to the crow’s nest to train. 

**Author's Note:**

> My idea for Kuina’s adult character design was heavily influenced by the wonderful codedredalert’s art, go look at it here https://codedredalert.tumblr.com/post/621548988441804800/older-kuina-design-bc-shes-one-of-my-top-faves


End file.
